


Always, Once, And Forever

by BeneathAScorpionSky



Series: Cyberverse drabbles [3]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Cyberverse
Genre: Gen, I love Clobber, I wish this scene had been in the show, Not over Driftgate, Switching Factions, These two are just so sweet, angsty, but also kinda fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22928191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeneathAScorpionSky/pseuds/BeneathAScorpionSky
Summary: Clobber makes a choice
Relationships: Hot Rod & Clobber
Series: Cyberverse drabbles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647748
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42





	Always, Once, And Forever

**Author's Note:**

> I wish that they'd actually shown the scene were Clobber chose to switch sides, but since they didn't I decided to do it myself

"Are you sure about this Clobber?" Hot Rod asked, staring at his friend in concern. 

She'd already peeled away her Decepticon badge leaving a scratched empty spot on her armor and she met his concern with that intense single minded honesty only Clobber had.  
"I'm sure Hot Rod! I want to be an Autobot, like you!" and oh, didn't those words bring up a lump in his throat as he tried to push back memories of a flickering badge on the armor of someone else he had called a friend. 

"You've been a Decepticon for a very long time," He said carefully, trying to probe for some hidden motive. Not that he thought Clobber could hide one, but still, some wounds were very new "And being an Autobot is really different, like, really, really different." 

"I know! That's why I want to be one!" 

At Hot Rod's expression of surprise the cycloptic con elaborated "When I was a Decepticon sometimes I had to fight other Decepticons, even if I liked them. Even if they hadn't done anything wrong. I don't want to do that anymore."

Hot Rod recalled how torn she was when Soundwave had ordered her to get rid of the speedster, how she had stopped when provided with the first excuse Hot Rod could find. The giant of a solider wasn't the brightest, but she was loyal. Only now she was caught between two loyalties. To the friend who had saved her time and time again from the Quintessons, who had gone back for her when she'd lagged behind and never berated her for her mistakes, and the loyalty to the Decepticon High Command. 

And she was trying to choose. 

And she was trying to choose him. 

Hot Rod found that his teeth had sunk into the soft metal of the inside of his lip and he could taste his own Energon. 

"Soundwave told me to kill you and even after that you forgave me, forgave him, when he was stuck you didn't kill him or leave him and I..." her shoulders shook a little "I want to be able to do that! I want to forgive people and Autobots seem really good at that!" 

Hot Rod found he couldn't meet her gaze as the tears gathered in his eyes and Clobber took it as a rejection. 

"I'm sorry Rod, I just figured, with everything that's happened, y'know, everything's that changed, it could work out but I guess-"

"Yes," Hot Rod hastily stuffed down his own feelings as he tried to get a grip on himself "I mean, I have to talk to Optimus about it but yes, you can be an Autobot." 

Hot Rod had never thought he'd hear such a big bot squeal so high pitched, but Clobber did, as she wrapped him up in a trash compacter of a hug. As soon as he got his breath back Hot Rod laughed and tried to return the hug as best he could. 

Because screw Drift, or Deadlock, or whatever name truly belonged to him, Hot Rod wasn't going to let him ruin another friendship, not when he was dead and gone and couldn't hurt Hod Rod, couldn't hurt anyone, anymore.

And maybe it wasn't always "once a Decepticon always a Decepticon," maybe it wasn't Decepticons Superior, Autobots Inferior but indeed Cybertronians Superior.  
Together. 

Maybe Clobber was a step in the right direction, not one more Autobot, not one more person wearing just another badge, but a step towards the day with no more badges, no more walls splitting people and planets in half. 

Maybe it was small, but Hot Rod knew small things like little stings, tiny sparks, half smiles, and just a dust of respect could change a lot.


End file.
